Evacuees describe the stunning rise and fall of a Louisville rai - NBC12 - WWBT - Richmond, VA News On Your Side

Evacuees describe the stunning rise and fall of a Louisville rainstorm

By John Boel, Anchor/Investigative Reporter
Bio
Connect
Biography
The parking lot at Guardian Court Apartments was flooded early Sunday. The parking lot at Guardian Court Apartments was flooded early Sunday.
More than 80 people were evacuated in Okolona and Buechel before the sun came up, More than 80 people were evacuated in Okolona and Buechel before the sun came up,
Numerous cars had to be towed after stalling out in the water and getting stuck in the mud. Numerous cars had to be towed after stalling out in the water and getting stuck in the mud.

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - When the streets started bubbling, the firefighters came running.

"I was lying there sleeping, kids woke me up, looked out, I couldn't believe it," said evacuee Vickie Dedrick.

"Just a little bit of water on the road, next thing you know it looks like a tidal wave come thru, looks like all cars washed off," said evacuee Mark Elliott.

The cars were a lost cause.

The people were a different matter. 

"We have three rescue rafts and we are bringing them out three or four at a time," said one rescue worker in Buechel.

"My landlord banged on my door, I woke up and stepped into a foot of water," said evacuee Deann Henderson.

"That's the first time I've ever been in a flood like that. It's scary," said Dedrick.

More than 80 people were evacuated in Okolona and Buechel before the sun came up, or the rain let up.

No stats on the cats.

"She's a little scared but she'll be all right," said a woman clutching her wet, frightened cat in the rescue raft.

"A little shock. A little upset. Not knowing what to do next," said Janine Brown of the Red Cross. Some evacuees went to the Red Cross shelter at Atherton High School. But some refused to evacuate.

"She's afraid to get in a boat like that because the water's too high," said Danny Richardson, about his wife. So she opted to stay instead of climb in the raft.

"There was no getting out of here last night. Cars were covered in water. A lot of the cars looked like boats," said Michelle Rogers of Okolona.

And that was good news for one person: the tow truck driver.

"A lot of people think they can make it, don't realize the exhaust sits too low to keep the car running," said Jason Brown of Suburban Towing.

When authorities responded to one water rescue on Guardian Court at 10 a.m., they said the woman who called wanted them to pump out the parking lot so she could get to her car and get to church.

They wouldn't have done that if they could have.

 Copyright 2013 WAVE 3 News. All Rights Reserved

Powered by Frankly